QB change won't impact Joe Webb's role in Vikings offense

And then there's Joe Webb, the last Vikings rookie quarterback to start a game.

Remember him, the sixth-round hybrid and unlikely hero of a Week 16 victory at snow-bound Philadelphia last December?

No player has been shuffled around more the past two seasons than Webb. He was drafted out of the University of Alabama-Birmingham as a wide receiver, moved to quarterback, returned kicks and now, this season, he fronts the Vikings' wildcat formation while taking limited snaps as the No. 3 quarterback.

Ironically, the huge shakeup of Christian Ponder's promotion to starting quarterback and Donovan McNabb's demotion hardly affects Webb. Offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave said Thursday he expects Webb to continue playing one or two series in the wildcat, which mostly has been ineffective.

"We're not satisfied with very much at this stage, especially after you get it handed to you like we did on Sunday night," Musgrave said. "We felt like we were making progress each and every week but in greater increments. When Joe is on the field, we want to get more juice out of it. We'll keep trying to put him in positions so we can do that."

Webb returned to practice Thursday after tending to a family matter Wednesday. He said he does not feel like the forgotten man despite changes all around him.

"I still approach the week as if I'm the starter. My job is just to be prepared whenever my number's called," he said.

Injury update: Two key offensive pieces should be available to ease Ponder's transition.

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Wide receiver Percy Harvin (ribs) and right tackle Phil Loadholt (knee) were limited in practice but expect to play Sunday against Green Bay in the Metrodome, both players said.

Loadholt suffered an inflamed knee on a running play late in the first half of Sunday's 39-10 loss to Chicago, but the third-year starter said the pain is subsiding.

"I plan on playing," Loadholt said.

Loadholt's presence is crucial to an offensive line that likely will be without center John Sullivan (concussion).

Harvin missed Wednesday's practice because of sore ribs, an injury that has lingered since the preseason. But Harvin is known to play through pain.

"We'll test it out today, see where we're at," he said. "Definitely don't see no need I won't play. Just whatever I can tolerate."

Harvin wore a protective vest in Chicago and could do the same Sunday.

Safety Jamarca Sanford (concussion) did not practice and is doubtful.

Meanwhile, cornerback Antoine Winfield, who has missed two games because of a neck injury, was limited again. Coach Leslie Frazier said the team would evaluate the veteran today before determining his status.

Not so special: The special-teams unit is putting last week's performance against the Bears in the rear-view mirror.

Ryan Longwell uncharacteristically missed a 38-yard field goal, his second miss in as many weeks.

The Bears further capitalized when Devin Hester returned a Longwell kickoff 98 yards for a third-quarter touchdown.

"We challenged him and we lost that challenge, unfortunately," Vikings special teams coach Mike Priefer said. "And I will learn from that and move on."

When Hester, who also had a 48-yard touchdown reception, wasn't putting the ball in the end zone, he was teaming with the wind to force feeble punts from Chris Kluwe, including boots of 18 and 24 yards.

"I think the wind caught it, and I think the pressure of kicking to Hester caught it," Priefer said about the touchdown return. "Even a veteran guy can get caught up in, 'Oh boy, this is going to be a rough night.' And I think we may have gotten caught up in that a little bit."

Kluwe said that, while you never want to hit a line drive to the league's most accomplished return man, Hester was not in his head.

"He didn't get to me," Kluwe said. "I think the wind got to me. It's just tough to kick out there."

Meanwhile, second-year returner Marcus Sherels has repeatedly been caught fair-catching punts inside his own 5-yard-line - a taboo, according to Priefer.

"Marcus is a work in progress," Priefer said. "What he does is he has a rule, and he drifted a little bit past that rule. He needs to let that ball bounce."

Briefly: Random note on a whiteboard in the Vikings' locker room: "Watch for Eden Prairie police on Vikings Dr."

Quote of note: "We're the underdog, clearly. We need to go out there with that underdog mentality and just fight." - Linebacker Chad Greenway